cassadaga
Oregon Rainwater
- Messages
- 1,226
- Location
- Portland, OR
The point of this thread is to see if we can create a standardized way of telling enigmas from normals. We've noticed a lot of threads asking whether what they hatched was an enigma or not, and quite a few threads where the poster presumed a hatchling to be an enigma, when it was not. Obviously enigmas are highly variable in appearance, and it makes sense that a lot of less experienced people would have trouble identifying them.
Here's what we have found with our enigmas:
1. Eyes. A lot of enigmas hatch with solid eyes, but they tend to fade after a few sheds, into the coppery color enigmas are known for.
2. Typical leopard gecko hatchlings tend to have three body bands, where as enigmas have two. Enigmas usually are missing the band between the two rear legs. We can't say that every Enigma is missing that band, but we've yet to see one with it.
3. Enigma hatchlings tend to have a purple U shaped marking on their heads. Sometimes it's made of two or three black blotches, but usually grows into the purple U coloring. Most typical leopard gecko hatchlings have completely dark heads. This is definatly a highly variable trait in enigmas. If it has the U shaped markings, it probably is an enigma, but if it lacks them, it in no way means they aren't one.
4. A lot of enigmas have either reduced tail bands, or none at all. A lot of times also, after the first two tail bands, the bands are rooted under the tail, instead of on top of it.
Obviously, none of these can be complete blanket statements for enigmas. I was trying to explain to a friend what makes an enigma different, and it just got me thinking. If anyone wants to add to this, or debate it, please do!
Here's what we have found with our enigmas:
1. Eyes. A lot of enigmas hatch with solid eyes, but they tend to fade after a few sheds, into the coppery color enigmas are known for.
2. Typical leopard gecko hatchlings tend to have three body bands, where as enigmas have two. Enigmas usually are missing the band between the two rear legs. We can't say that every Enigma is missing that band, but we've yet to see one with it.
3. Enigma hatchlings tend to have a purple U shaped marking on their heads. Sometimes it's made of two or three black blotches, but usually grows into the purple U coloring. Most typical leopard gecko hatchlings have completely dark heads. This is definatly a highly variable trait in enigmas. If it has the U shaped markings, it probably is an enigma, but if it lacks them, it in no way means they aren't one.
4. A lot of enigmas have either reduced tail bands, or none at all. A lot of times also, after the first two tail bands, the bands are rooted under the tail, instead of on top of it.
Obviously, none of these can be complete blanket statements for enigmas. I was trying to explain to a friend what makes an enigma different, and it just got me thinking. If anyone wants to add to this, or debate it, please do!
